Outline
1.0 Salutation (1–3)2.0 Thanksgiving (4–7)3.0 Paul’s Explanation to Philemon (8–16)4.0 Paul’s Appeal to Philemon (17–21)5.0 Greetings and Benediction (22–25)1.0 Salutation (1–3)
PHILEMON 1
ΠαῦλοςPaul δέσμιοςprisoner Χριστοῦof Christ ἸησοῦJesus καὶand ΤιμόθεοςTimothy ὁthe ἀδελφὸςbrother Φιλήμονιto Philemon τῷthe ἀγαπητῷbeloved καὶand συνεργῷcoworker ἡμῶνour
FIT VersionPaul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to our beloved coworker, Philemon.
PHILEMON 2
καὶand Ἀπφίᾳto Apphia τῇthe ἀδελφῇsister καὶand Ἀρχίππῳto Archippus τῷthe συστρατιώτῃfellow soldier ἡμῶνour καὶand τῇthe κατʼaccording to οἶκόνhouse σουyour ἐκκλησίᾳcongregation·
FIT Versionand to sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow‑soldier, as well as to the church that meets in your house.
PHILEMON 3
χάριςgrace ὑμῖνto you (plural) καὶand εἰρήνηpeace ἀπὸfrom θεοῦof / from God πατρὸςfather ἡμῶνour καὶand κυρίουof Lord ἸησοῦJesus Χριστοῦof Christ.
FIT VersionGrace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2.0 Thanksgiving (4–7)
PHILEMON 4
ΕὐχαριστῶI give thanks τῷthe θεῷto God μουmy πάντοτεalways μνείανremembrance σουyour ποιούμενοςmaking ἐπὶin τῶνof the προσευχῶνprayers μουmy,
FIT VersionI always give thanks to my God, remembering to mention you in my prayers,
PHILEMON 5
ἀκούωνhearing σουyour τὴνthe ἀγάπηνlove καὶand τὴνthe πίστινfaith ἣνwhich ἔχειςyou have πρὸςto τὸνthe κύριονLord ἸησοῦνJesus καὶand εἰςtoward πάνταςall τοὺςthe ἁγίουςholy people,
FIT Versionbecause I keep hearing about your love and your faith toward the Lord Jesus, and for all our fellow believers,
PHILEMON 6
ὅπωςso that ἡthe κοινωνίαsharing τῆςof the πίστεώςof faith σουyour ἐνεργὴςeffective γένηταιmay become ἐνin ἐπιγνώσειknowledge παντὸςevery ἀγαθοῦgood τοῦof the ἐνin ἡμῖνto / among us εἰςtoward ΧριστόνChrist·
FIT Versionthat your fellowship and your faith may become
effective in the complete understanding of everything good that is ours
in Christ.
PHILEMON 7
χαρὰνjoy γὰρfor πολλὴνmuch ἔσχονI had καὶand παράκλησινencouragement ἐπὶin τῇthe ἀγάπῃlove σουyour, ὅτιthat τὰthe σπλάγχναdeep affections τῶνof the ἁγίωνof believers ἀναπέπαυταιhave been refreshed διὰbecause of σοῦyour, ἀδελφέbrother.
FIT VersionI was really joyful and encouraged because of your
love, since, through you, brother, the compassions of our fellow
believers were refreshed.
3.0 Paul’s Explanation to Philemon (8–16)
PHILEMON 8
Διόtherefore, πολλὴνmuch ἐνin Χριστῷin Christ παρρησίανconfidence ἔχωνhaving ἐπιτάσσεινto command σοιto you τὸthe ἀνῆκονwhat is fitting,
FIT VersionFor this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
PHILEMON 9
διὰbecause of τὴνthe ἀγάπηνlove μᾶλλονrather παρακαλῶI appeal, τοιοῦτοςsuch a one ὢνbeing ὡςas ΠαῦλοςPaul πρεσβύτηςold man νυνὶnow δὲbut καὶand δέσμιοςprisoner Χριστοῦof Christ ἸησοῦJesus—
FIT VersionI appeal instead, on the basis of love, since I, Paul, am an old man, and now I am also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
PHILEMON 10
παρακαλῶI appeal σεyou περὶconcerning τοῦof the ἐμοῦmy τέκνουchild, ὃνwhom ἐγέννησαI fathered ἐνin τοῖςto/in the δεσμοῖςchains ὈνήσιμονOnesimus,
FIT VersionI appeal to you concerning this child of mine, Onesimus, whom I fathered while in my chains,
PHILEMON 11
τόνthe one ποτέformerly σοιto you ἄχρηστονuseless νυνὶnow δὲbut σοὶto you καὶand ἐμοὶto me εὔχρηστονuseful,
FIT Versionwho was formerly useless to you but now is useful to both of us.
PHILEMON 12
ὃνwhom ἀνέπεμψάI sent back σοιto you αὐτόνhim, τοῦτʼthis ἔστινis τὰthe ἐμὰmy σπλάγχναdeep affections·
FIT VersionI have sent him back to you. This one is my deepest affection.
PHILEMON 13
ὃνwhom ἐγὼI ἐβουλόμηνI was wishing πρὸςto ἐμαυτὸνmyself κατέχεινto keep, ἵναso that ὑπὲρon behalf of σοῦyour μοιto me διακονῇhe might serve ἐνin τοῖςto/in the δεσμοῖςchains τοῦof the εὐαγγελίουgospel,
FIT VersionI wanted to keep him with me, so that he might
provide assistance to me on your behalf while I am in chains because of
the gospel.
PHILEMON 14
χωρὶςwithout δὲbut τῆςof the σῆςyour γνώμηςopinion οὐδὲνnothing ἠθέλησαI wanted ποιῆσαιto do, ἵναso that μὴnot ὡςas κατὰaccording to ἀνάγκηνnecessity τὸthe ἀγαθόνgood deed σουyour ᾖmay be ἀλλὰbut rather κατὰaccording to ἑκούσιονvoluntary·
FIT VersionBut without your input, I did not want to do
anything, because your good deed should not be out of obligation but by
your permission.
PHILEMON 15
τάχαperhaps γὰρfor διὰbecause of τοῦτοthis ἐχωρίσθηhe was separated πρὸςto ὥρανhour ἵναso that αἰώνιονlasting αὐτὸνhim ἀπέχῃςyou may have back,
FIT VersionFor it may be that he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever,
PHILEMON 16
οὐκέτιno longer ὡςas δοῦλονslave ἀλλὰbut rather ὑπὲρon behalf of δοῦλονslave, ἀδελφὸνbrother ἀγαπητόνbeloved, μάλισταespecially ἐμοίto me, πόσῳhow much δὲbut μᾶλλονrather σοὶto you καὶand ἐνin σαρκὶflesh καὶand ἐνin κυρίῳin the Lord.
FIT Versionno longer as a slave, but more than a slave; a
beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in
the earthly realm and in the Lord.
4.0 Paul’s Appeal to Philemon (17–21)
PHILEMON 17
Εἰif οὖνtherefore μεme ἔχειςyou have κοινωνόνpartner, προσλαβοῦwelcome αὐτὸνhim ὡςas ἐμέme.
FIT VersionSo if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would me.
PHILEMON 18
εἰif δέand τιanything ἠδίκησένhe wronged σεyou ἢor ὀφείλειhe owes, τοῦτοthis ἐμοὶto me ἐλλόγαcharge·
FIT VersionIf he has wronged you in anything or owes you anything, charge that to me.
PHILEMON 19
ἐγὼI ΠαῦλοςPaul ἔγραψαI wrote τῇthe ἐμῇmy χειρίhand, ἐγὼI ἀποτίσωI will repay· ἵναso that μὴnot λέγωI might say σοιto you ὅτιthat καὶand σεαυτόνyourself μοιto me προσοφείλειςyou owe in addition.
FIT VersionI, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay
you, so that I should not need to say to you that you owe even yourself
to me.
PHILEMON 20
ναίyes, ἀδελφέbrother, ἐγώI σουyour ὀναίμηνmay I benefit ἐνin κυρίῳin the Lord· ἀνάπαυσόνrefresh μουmy τὰthe σπλάγχναdeep affections ἐνin Χριστῷin Christ.
FIT VersionYes, brother, may I have this benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
PHILEMON 21
πεποιθὼςhaving confidence τῇthe ὑπακοῇobedience σουyour ἔγραψάI wrote σοιto you, εἰδὼςknowing ὅτιthat καὶand ὑπὲρon behalf of ἃwhat λέγωI might say ποιήσειςyou will do.
FIT VersionHaving confidence that you would do as I request, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I ask.
5.0 Greetings and Benediction (22–25)
PHILEMON 22
ἅμαat the same time δὲbut καὶand ἑτοίμαζέprepare μοιto me ξενίανguest accommodation, ἐλπίζωI hope γὰρfor ὅτιthat διὰbecause of τῶνof the προσευχῶνprayers ὑμῶνyour (plural) χαρισθήσομαιI will be graciously gran… ὑμῖνto you (plural).
FIT VersionAt the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted to you.
PHILEMON 23
Ἀσπάζεταίgreets σεyou ἘπαφρᾶςEpaphras ὁthe συναιχμάλωτόςfellow prisoner μουmy ἐνin Χριστῷin Christ ἸησοῦJesus,
FIT VersionEpaphras, my fellow‑prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
PHILEMON 24
ΜᾶρκοςMark, ἈρίσταρχοςAristarchus, ΔημᾶςDemas, ΛουκᾶςLuke, οἱthe συνεργοίcoworkers μουmy.
FIT Versionas do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke—my coworkers.
PHILEMON 25
Ἡthe χάριςgrace τοῦof the κυρίουof Lord ἸησοῦJesus Χριστοῦof Christ μετὰwith τοῦof the πνεύματοςspirit ὑμῶνyour (plural).
FIT VersionThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.